Incident and recurrent Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae infections, active component, U.S. Armed...

Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae infections impose a significant clinical and public health burden on the Military Health System. Repeat infections contribute significantly to that burden. This report summarizes rates and relative risks of true incident (i.e., initial or "first time ever") and recurrent (i.e., repeat) chlamydia and gonorrhea infections among active component members between 1 January 2010 and 31 December 2014. During the surveillance period, a total of 66,396 initial chlamydia and 9,138 initial gonorrhea cases were diagnosed. Annual crude rates of initial chlamydia infections increased by 23%. Crude rates of initial gonorrhea infections remained stable overall, but female rates decreased by 28.3% over the period. Among the incident cohorts, 11,699 cases of repeat chlamydia, and 1,138 cases of repeat gonorrhea were diagnosed over the period, accounting for 15.0% and 11.1% of overall cohort chlamydia and gonorrhea infections, respectively. The Army branch, those aged 17-19 years, females, non-Hispanic black service members, junior enlisted ranks, and single/never-married service members had the highest crude rates of initial chlamydia and gonorrhea infection, and (single/never-married service members excepted) highest adjusted relative risk of repeat chlamydia infection.